Hello from Des Moines. I pray that you all have a wonderful Christmas and plans for a safe new year. As all of you know this has been a difficult year for our profession nationwide, and particularly challenging for the Des Moines Police Department. I will not dwell on the losses but would like to say that those heroes are in heaven, and if I’m lucky, I’ll meet them there one day.

I will say that the department leadership has done a wonderful job dealing with tremendous adversities and I want to specifically thank the Des Moines Police Department family as their resolve to press on thrives. It is also important to recognize the citizens of Iowa for their unwavering support of law enforcement. We are truly humbled by their support and cannot thank them enough. Peace officers in Iowa are committed to stronger, safer communities, and will continue to work hard for the neighborhoods in which we live and work.

As we embark on this holiday season, I’d like to take a moment to thank all of you, members of the Iowa State Police Association (ISPA), for your continued support of our organization, your loyalty to your department and your dedication to your community.

As law enforcement officers, we often have to deal with the darker side of humanity — people hurting, people dying, people breaking the law. Not only are we tasked with keeping the public safe, we also have to cope with the emotional burden that comes with handling these sad situations.

Each and every year, the Rabiner Treatment Center (RTC) Christmas party provides a wonderful opportunity for our boys, their families, RTC staff and our guests to celebrate the holiday together! This year’s party was no exception. On Sunday, December 4, 2016, we filled the gym with our extended RTC family, sharing the spirit of Christmas with each other!

As you can see by the pictures, the gym “halls” were “decked” to the max! Those who attended really experienced the magic of the holidays! The gym was decorated with Christmas trees, ornaments and various other decorations. Bob and Karen Thode (Fort Dodge) donated a couple of air-powered displays that added so much to the holiday décor!